This week I continued working on the 30 Days to Simpler Life Project. Each day, Fairy Tale Mama at Enchanted Schoolhouse posts an activity from the book 30 Days to a Simpler Life.
The projects so far have been ones I've wanted to do, but haven't made the time for...or ones that weren't on my list of things to do, but have been good to do in an effort to de-clutter and simplify my life. I have completed Weeks 1-3 (Days 1-21), but am working on Week 4 (Days 22-28) since I was in Duluth (Minnesota) for several days during this time period.
Here are the actions for the past week...and the final two days of the project:
Day #29 - Find Out What Works - Today fill out the checklist below. Decide if you're okay or need help in the following areas. It will help you see at a glance what works and what doesn't in your life. Make a copy of this list and keep it in a place where you will refer to it again (your bulletin board or date book). Add additional categories as they occur to you. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 180-182)
My answers to the questions are in bold typeface to the right.
Closet
Love and wear clothes exclusively Help (would be nice to have a couple of new items for spring and summer and one dress or dress-up outfit since I don't have one)
Closet organized OK
Accessories managed OK
Stockings/socks OK
Belts OK
Scarves OK
Shoes OK
Jewelry Help (would like to have a way to hang up my earrings, bracelets, and necklaces so I can see them)
Clothing Systems
Dry-cleaning system OK (rarely need to get anything dry-cleaned)
Laundry system Help (need a new washer and dryer since the current one is about 15 years old and on its last leg)
Out of season system Help (organizing winter coats, boots, accessories)
Recycling System OK
Linen closet Help (would like to go through blankets and pillows once more)
Kitchen
Counters cleared Help (Would like more counter space and am debating about keeping the terrariums which take up too much space; and re-locating the cacti and aloe vera plants)
Storage organized Help (still need to go through some cupboards)
Love and Use items exclusively Help (could donate some dishes and other kitchen items)
Meal Planning System OK
Grocery Shopping System Help (want to do a master grocery list that I can check off for the grocery store I go to the most)
Entertaining Menus and Setup OK (I never "entertain" or host parties on a regular basis)
Home Office
Mail Handling OK
Desktop Papers OK
Office Supplies OK
Bill-Paying System OK (but would love to have no bills to pay!)
Filing System OK
Current (Personal and Homeschool) OK
Important Documents Help (am working on putting all current statements for bank accounts, insurance, etc. in a 3-ring binder so it's easy to find)
Estate planning OK (in safe deposit box and my desk)
Tax records Help (all are done; just need to put everything together in one spot)
Home improvement records OK
Insurances OK
Archives OK
Stationery and stamps OK
Gift wrapping Help (am trying to get away from gift wrap and use fabric bags and ribbons instead; need to better organize this)
Photos Help (still removing pictures from old non-archival quality albums and putting them in boxes)
Subscriptions OK
Travel files and planning OK (though I wish I was traveling more)
Kids
Kids' rooms
Closet Help (still working on both of the girls' closets - want to make a lower bar to hang Olivia's clothes on so she can reach them; get rid of a lot of items I don't need in Olivia's closet; and finish cleaning Sophia's closet which also has spare bedding, photo albums, and children's games)
Desk OK (helped the girls go through their desks in the fall/winter)
Storage OK (though it would be nice if Olivia had a bit more storage in her room)
Kids' papers and mementos OK
Babysitter information current Help (am almost done with this)
House Maintenance
Supplies organized Help (there are some areas in the home that I still want to organize)
Daily Routine Help (if more hours were added to the day I could get everything done)
Weekly Routine Help (if I can't have more hours...maybe an extra person or two to help)
Seasonal Routine Help (would like to have the proper tools and equipment...and perhaps the extra person and time...to do seasonal jobs and upkeep)
Garage Help (the hobby shed and barn both could use more cleaning - though a major de-cluttering/purging was done in August 2010 and the first week of September 2010)
General
House sitter information current Help (I need to write instructions for the dogs, cats, and horses as well as what needs to be done with the house if I'm gone)
Recycling system for useless stuff OK (have been donating bags of items that are no longer needed and are still in good condition to the local thrift shop. Whatever isn't in good condition is either recycled or thrown away.)
Day #30 - Your task for today is to call three friends and ask, "What are some ways you have simplified your life?" (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 183)
I asked this question on Facebook and received the following answers:
The best thing I ever did was let go of being right. (Rod B.)
There is a documentatory that just came out. I don't watch Oprah, but she was on when I turned on the t.v. yesterday. She was interviewing a man who is a famous movie director (some of Jim Carey's films, etc.). This film is called "I AM." He downsized and simplified; and he tells of the happiness he has found. Quoted St. Augustine: "Take what God has given you....take what you need ...the rest is for others." Love this because materialism is the is at the root of many of our problems today!! (Dorothy P.)
I don't fold socks. What a waste of time. Some evenings when I know I will be working late, I'll throw a roast in the crock pot in the morning. Other nights, we will have cereal. Why beat myself up over not spending hours in the kitchen cooking after coming home tired. I also label my bathroom closet shelves. Toothpaste/toothbrushes, Soaps, Lotions, Medical, Cottonballs/Q-Tips, Beauty supplies, Nail polish, Extra makeup, etc... (Brenda M.)
I made a "template" of the grocery store I most often visit, listing items available in each aisle (essentially the same as the signs above each aisle) including specific things I usually buy. I made copies of this and keep it... magneted to the side of my fridge so that making grocery lists is quicker and my shopping trip times have been cut in half, I can zip through the store super fast and don't get distracted by extraneous items. It also makes using coupons easier. (Kathrine N.)
"I have done laundry, instead of every day, three days a week. I do not like socks either [in reference to Brenda M.'s comment above]." (Annette J-G.)
What wonderful advice! I'm so happy that I did this via Facebook versus calling people because the responses are ones that are all things that I need to hear and apply to my life.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
OHC Spring Series #5: Year-Long Cattail Study
For the past few weeks for the girls' nature study, we did the Outdoor Hour Challenge Spring Series #5: Year-Long Cattail Study - Spring Cattail Observations. We have enjoyed using the lessons and ideas from the Handbook of Nature Study website that uses the book with the same title (it is written by Anna Botsford Comstock).
For this entry, the typeface in bold is from the website; the typeface in italics is from the book ("Handbook of Nature Study"), and the typeface that is left plain are my thoughts/writing.
Inside Preparation Work:
Read pages 500-502 in the Handbook of Nature Study if you have not done so before. It might also be beneficial to read it again this season and highlight the parts that contain information about the leaves of the cattail plant. We will be focusing this season on where the cattail grows and what the leaves look like as they grow up from the plant. Prepare yourself for this week’s outdoor time by reading #1, #2, #4, and #5 suggestions for study on page 502.
These are some excerpts from the book that I found interesting and shared with Sophia and Olivia:
It is an interesting process to take apart a cattail plant; the lower, shorter leaves surround the base of the plant, giving it size and strength. All the leaves have the same general shape, but vary in length. Each leaf consists of two parts; the free portion, which is long and narrow and flat toward its tepering tip but is bent into a trough as it nears the plant, and the lower portion, which clasps the plant entirely or partially, depending upon whether it is an outer or inner leaf.
The lower portion, which clasps the plant entirely or partially...adds to its strength.
In June and early July,...the cattail...will be seen to have the upper half of the cat's tail much narrower and different in shape from the lower half. .... It seems to be clothed with a fine drooping fringe of olive yellow. .... We see that this fringe is a mass of crowded anthers, two or three of them being attached to the same stalk by a short filament. These anthers are packed full of pollen.
If we look at the leaf in cross section, we can see the two thick walls strengthened by the framework of stiff veins which divide the interior into long cells.
If we cut the leaf lengthwise we can see that these long cells are supported by stiff, coarse partitions.
The cattail is adapted for living in swaps where the soil is wet but not under water all the time.
Outdoor Hour Time:
Enjoy your outdoor time this week at your cattail spot. If you have been participating in the year-long cattail study since last autumn, you will know just where to look for cattails. Use the suggestions from the Handbook of Nature Study to talk a little about the habitat where your cattails are growing.
Since the cattails were so far in the pond, and the water was higher than the top of our boots, we've been looking for cattails that we could more closely observe. We went to William O'Brien State Park on April 7th. We went on a 1.5 mile hike along the St. Croix River. In several sections, the trail was flooded the water was so high. Didn't see any cattails, though.
We continued on the trail and followed our way to Lake Alice. We stopped to enjoy the view of the half-melted lake. Lake Alice didn't have any cattails either along the shoreline...or at least in the area we went by.
Make sure to allow some time after your outdoor hour to discuss any subjects that your child finds interesting. Encourage the completion of a nature journal entry recording your observation of your cattails.
I typed and printed out a list of the questions presented in 1 and 2 in the "Handbook of Nature Study" since the questions in 4 and 5 were focused on examining the cattail plant and leaves which were inaccessible to the girls at this time. The questions were put into their nature journals and answered. Here are the questions with the answers as they relate the section of cattails that we'll be studying on our property:
#1
Where are the cattails found? The cattails are found in the pond.
Is the land on which they grown under water all the year? At any part of the year? Is it dry land all the year? The land is under water for part of the year (in the spring). By mid-summer the pond usually is gone.
What happens to the cattails if the land on which they grow is flooded for a long season? The land hasn't been flooded for the entire spring and summer season for many years. About 15 years ago, it use to be a year-round pond and there were no cattails. As the land alternated between being wet and dry, the cattails began growing.
What happens to them if the land is drained? The cattails do come back each year, despite being dry for most of the summer and fall.
#2
How wide a strip do the cattails cover, where you have found them? I think the area is about 75' wide and long. At some point, the girls and I should measure the area. We haven't done that yet.
Are they near a pond or brook or stream? The cattails are in the pond.
Do they grow out in the stream? There isn't a stream on the property.
Why do they not extend further inland? The cattails prefer a moister soil, and seem concentrated in the area where there is a seasonal pond.
What is the character of the soil on which they grow? The character of the soil depends on the season and the level of moisture in the ground.
Make sure to encourage your child to sketch the cattail leaves. Also try to include a little of the habitat that your cattails are growing in during this season. Include in your sketch any insects, birds, or animals that you observed near your cattails during your outdoor time.
There aren't any insects or animals (except the horses) that were in the pasture that we observed. The birds we saw the most of were red-winged blackbirds. They sat on the fence posts that ran through the middle of the pond (the fence divides the farm from the neighbor's property).
Here are their nature journal entries:
For this entry, the typeface in bold is from the website; the typeface in italics is from the book ("Handbook of Nature Study"), and the typeface that is left plain are my thoughts/writing.
Inside Preparation Work:
Read pages 500-502 in the Handbook of Nature Study if you have not done so before. It might also be beneficial to read it again this season and highlight the parts that contain information about the leaves of the cattail plant. We will be focusing this season on where the cattail grows and what the leaves look like as they grow up from the plant. Prepare yourself for this week’s outdoor time by reading #1, #2, #4, and #5 suggestions for study on page 502.
These are some excerpts from the book that I found interesting and shared with Sophia and Olivia:
It is an interesting process to take apart a cattail plant; the lower, shorter leaves surround the base of the plant, giving it size and strength. All the leaves have the same general shape, but vary in length. Each leaf consists of two parts; the free portion, which is long and narrow and flat toward its tepering tip but is bent into a trough as it nears the plant, and the lower portion, which clasps the plant entirely or partially, depending upon whether it is an outer or inner leaf.
This section of the cattail had multiple layers
"kind of like an onion," Sophia obseved.
The lower portion, which clasps the plant entirely or partially...adds to its strength.
In June and early July,...the cattail...will be seen to have the upper half of the cat's tail much narrower and different in shape from the lower half. .... It seems to be clothed with a fine drooping fringe of olive yellow. .... We see that this fringe is a mass of crowded anthers, two or three of them being attached to the same stalk by a short filament. These anthers are packed full of pollen.
If we look at the leaf in cross section, we can see the two thick walls strengthened by the framework of stiff veins which divide the interior into long cells.
We had never taken apart a cattail, so it was interesting
to see the framework of veins which divide the
interior into long cells. The cells are supported
by the stiff partitions.
If we cut the leaf lengthwise we can see that these long cells are supported by stiff, coarse partitions.
When we cut the cattails into cross-sections,
the little sections almost looked like cardboard.
The cattail is adapted for living in swaps where the soil is wet but not under water all the time.
Despite drying overnight the sections of cattails
that we brought indoors, the girls were
still able to squeeze quite a bit of water from them.
The cattail roots are fine and fibrous.
Outdoor Hour Time:
Enjoy your outdoor time this week at your cattail spot. If you have been participating in the year-long cattail study since last autumn, you will know just where to look for cattails. Use the suggestions from the Handbook of Nature Study to talk a little about the habitat where your cattails are growing.
On March 30th, there was still snow on the ground in the pasture.
There was a thin covering of ice on the pond.
The cattails are in the middle of the pond and not accessible.
During the previous summer, the horses ate most of the cattails
since the pond had dried up. They didn't disturb the root system
so the cattails should grow again this spring.
Since the girls couldn't reach the cattails,
they ended up playing with the ice and water.
They enjoyed using sticks to break the ice and
watch the water bubble up through the openings.
Continuing on our nature walk through the pasture,
we went to the wooded area in the northwest section.
We found a variety of pheasant feathers there,
including these long tail feathers!
Since the cattails were so far in the pond, and the water was higher than the top of our boots, we've been looking for cattails that we could more closely observe. We went to William O'Brien State Park on April 7th. We went on a 1.5 mile hike along the St. Croix River. In several sections, the trail was flooded the water was so high. Didn't see any cattails, though.
The girls taking a short break on their favorite rock
along the St. Croix River.
We continued on the trail and followed our way to Lake Alice. We stopped to enjoy the view of the half-melted lake. Lake Alice didn't have any cattails either along the shoreline...or at least in the area we went by.
The girls sitting on a bench overlooking Lake Alice
in William O'Brien State Park.
Follow-Up Activity: Make sure to allow some time after your outdoor hour to discuss any subjects that your child finds interesting. Encourage the completion of a nature journal entry recording your observation of your cattails.
I typed and printed out a list of the questions presented in 1 and 2 in the "Handbook of Nature Study" since the questions in 4 and 5 were focused on examining the cattail plant and leaves which were inaccessible to the girls at this time. The questions were put into their nature journals and answered. Here are the questions with the answers as they relate the section of cattails that we'll be studying on our property:
#1
Where are the cattails found? The cattails are found in the pond.
Is the land on which they grown under water all the year? At any part of the year? Is it dry land all the year? The land is under water for part of the year (in the spring). By mid-summer the pond usually is gone.
What happens to the cattails if the land on which they grow is flooded for a long season? The land hasn't been flooded for the entire spring and summer season for many years. About 15 years ago, it use to be a year-round pond and there were no cattails. As the land alternated between being wet and dry, the cattails began growing.
What happens to them if the land is drained? The cattails do come back each year, despite being dry for most of the summer and fall.
#2
How wide a strip do the cattails cover, where you have found them? I think the area is about 75' wide and long. At some point, the girls and I should measure the area. We haven't done that yet.
Are they near a pond or brook or stream? The cattails are in the pond.
Do they grow out in the stream? There isn't a stream on the property.
Why do they not extend further inland? The cattails prefer a moister soil, and seem concentrated in the area where there is a seasonal pond.
What is the character of the soil on which they grow? The character of the soil depends on the season and the level of moisture in the ground.
Make sure to encourage your child to sketch the cattail leaves. Also try to include a little of the habitat that your cattails are growing in during this season. Include in your sketch any insects, birds, or animals that you observed near your cattails during your outdoor time.
There aren't any insects or animals (except the horses) that were in the pasture that we observed. The birds we saw the most of were red-winged blackbirds. They sat on the fence posts that ran through the middle of the pond (the fence divides the farm from the neighbor's property).
Here are their nature journal entries:
Sophia's journal entry about cattails.
Olivia's journal entry about cattails.
Monday, April 18, 2011
30 Days to a Simpler Life - Week #4
This week I continued working on the 30 Days to Simpler Life project. Each day, Fairy Tale Mama at Enchanted Schoolhouse posts an activity from the book 30 Days to a Simpler Life.
The projects so far have been ones I've wanted to do, but haven't made the time for...or ones that weren't on my list of things to do, but have been good to do in an effort to de-clutter and simplify my life.
Some of the actions for Week #4 are ones that I need more time to do and will do them once homeschooling is done for the school year. These are all the activities for Week #4 and what I accomplished:
Day #22 - Keep Track of Your Valuables - Today, create a Valuables Binder for art, jewelry, silverware, and collections of anything you value and worry about losing to fire and theft. Detailed instructions follow. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 143)
Here are some of the suggestions (in short) that the authors make for keeping track of your valuables:
1. List them and put the list in a binder.
2. Photograph or videotape your valuables. Date the video.
3. Include the receipts.
4. Put any appraisals or authentication documents in your binder.
5. Store your valuables binder in a safe place.
This is a project that I'm going to have to come back to at a later date. This involves more work than one day. I've wanted to do something like this for a long time now. Once I wrap up homeschooling for this school year and have a short break, that will be the time I can tackle this project.
Day #23 - Give Vanishing Gifts - Today, tackle your wrapping paper, ribbons, gift bags, and gift tags/cards. Save a few of your favorite rolls of paper, some matching ribbon, and some gift enclosure cards. Give away your extraneous wrapping supplies (give a few rolls to the kids). If you cannot bear to give away beautiful wrapping paper, store the excess out of sight. Simplicity is about using up what you have --- and keeping things flowing through your life. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 147)
Over the past couple of years, I have slowly used up wrapping paper and ribbons; and I have very few bows left. For each birthday and holiday, I've been making re-usable gift bags from fabric. The first year when I make the bags, it's a bit labor-intensive. However, with each subsequent year of use, it's been a wonderful time saver.
I also have made hand-embroidered bags from wool felt and beads. These are a bit time-consuming to make, but they will last many years. If they take care of the bags, they will have them when they leave home and start their own families. Perhaps they can be passed onto their children.
Day #24 - Create Hassle-Free Holidays - Make a list of the holidays you celebrate annually. Besides each entry, write down what each holiday means to you. For example, Thanksgiving may mean organizing a big potluck dinner for friends who don't have anyplace else to go.
Next, make another list of holidays with columns entitled "Joyful Activities" and "Stressful Activities." Fill in the blanks. For example, a joyful Christmas activity might be "Sending cards," whereas a stressful activity might be "Finding perfect gifts for household help." Once the list is made, vow to maximize joy and minimize stress. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 152)
Many of the joyful activities for the holidays centers around food and making food that ties in with the holidays.
I also find joy in helping the girls with their costumes for Halloween. Often they want their hair done, so they have their hair up in curlers (the kind they have to wear overnight) or hot rollers; and get the final touch with the curling iron.
I'm not one who enjoys huge crowds. However, the girls had an opportunity to ride horses on the Fourth of July in a small town parade. Since they were in the parade prep area, there were quieter places to sit which was nice. There weren't the crowds in that area...and the view was unobstructed.
One of the ways we celebrate New Year's Day is by going to a Chinese restaurant. This tradition was started in the early 1990s in San Francisco where there seemed to be a huge number of Chinese restaurants. It is continued to this day, and enjoyed by us all.
The girls dressed up in their Chinese dresses in 2008. These were purchased in China (where they were adopted from) in 2001 and 2003. I brought back a variety of dresses in increasingly larger sizes so they could have special dresses to wear each year.
As I looked the holidays for the year, I realized that for several of them, we don't do anything special to celebrate them (e.g., Memorial Day, Labor Day). It might be nice to find a free activity in the community and do that, or have a picnic or go on a short day-trip to a place that we haven't gone before.
For me, things that are stressful center around large crowds and public chaos - big events, parades, and even children's services at the church where the girls sing. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I seem to prefer quiet, peaceful gatherings...or ones that I can go to early to avoid crowds.
At least I know what I find stressful and can try to avoid activities that I know will be too loud or where there are too many people crammed in too tight of an area.
Day #25 - Enjoy Your Photos and Mementos - Today, round up all of your photos and put them in one place. That's all you have to do. Make a commitment to buy some photo boxes in the near future. With these boxes, you will be able to sort your photos. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 156)
I have started to remove photographs from old photo albums (the kind that are pre-archival quality) and place the photographs in achival-quality boxes. I've been working on and off on this project for a couple of months now since I have quite a few albums to go through.
I use to operate a children's camp and found that I had taken a tremendous amount of photographs of the program. Some of the photographs were sent to funders, but I kept many of them and put them in albums. I kept some of the photos that had pictures of the girls, farm animals (sheep, chickens, horses), or were personally meaningful to me.
As I'm going through the photographs, I'm not keeping all of them. For some photos, I'm sending them to people (friends and family) who I think may enjoy them. For example, if their child participated in the camp program, they might enjoy seeing a photo of their child at camp when they were much younger.
Day #26 - Pare Down Your Garage - A garage is not a junk bin. It's an important base of operations, like your kitchen and home office. Today, sort your garage items into categories---tools, paint, gardening, recreational, barbecue, and so on. As you sort, ask yourself:
1. Do I use it---or think I should? If not, toss it.
2. When I want to do a project, is this item ready to use? Am I willing to keep it cleaned and repaired? If not, toss it.
3. Do I have enough space for this and is it well located? If not, toss it or move it.
After you have sorted and tossed, make a list of organizers that will streamline your garage. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 164)
I don't have a garage, so the closest thing that's like garage that's here is the hobby shed and barn.
I had been storing clothing for the girls that they could grow into as well as holiday items in the hobby shed. Unfortunately, some of the things that had been in there for multiple seasons (mostly clothing, some blankets, and pillows) now smelled like mildew which wasn't good. Because the smell was so strong, the items now were garbage.
As the dumpster was slowly filling, it was a very sick feeling to see not only items that were once good that were ruined because of inadequate storage space, but I thought about the money that was wasted that I would never get back. It was a financial loss...and not a positive impact on the environment by any stretch of the imagination.
When it gets warmer, I plan to re-visit organizing and further de-cluttering the hobby shed. It is more than a day's work; and more appropriate to do later in the spring or summer. At the same time, I will clean out the barn and shed again. After this round, things should be much better.
Day #27 - Make Landscaping Easier - A successful landscape is one that you thoroughly enjoy and is easy to maintain. Use plants that require little maintenance. Ask the nursery for three of the most successful plants in your region. Make these plants the mainstay of your garden. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 169)
I've been gradually adding more perennials and wildflowers over the years. Some have done well, while others haven't and were a waste of money.
The ones that seem to do the best here are hostas, ferns, siberian irises, lupines, peonies, hydrageneas, bleeding hearts, lilies, and some roses.
Day #28 - Get Physical - Make an appointment on your calendar to exercise three to four times a week for an hour, or daily for 30 minutes. This is a manageable amount of time for most people. With a simple routine, you won't have to think about when to exercise---it's prescheduled! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 175)
Now that the weather is better, we can begin riding our bikes again which is fun. Olivia is still learning how to ride a bike, so I have a modified bike hooked up to mine until she can ride on her own and keep up with Sophia and me.
I also typed a physical education chart in which each of us can mark off when we do some form of exercise for the day. It can be bike riding, working with the horses, taking the dogs for a walk, going on a nature walk, or playing in the backyard. The key for us is variety and fun more so than an extreme workout.
The projects so far have been ones I've wanted to do, but haven't made the time for...or ones that weren't on my list of things to do, but have been good to do in an effort to de-clutter and simplify my life.
Some of the actions for Week #4 are ones that I need more time to do and will do them once homeschooling is done for the school year. These are all the activities for Week #4 and what I accomplished:
Day #22 - Keep Track of Your Valuables - Today, create a Valuables Binder for art, jewelry, silverware, and collections of anything you value and worry about losing to fire and theft. Detailed instructions follow. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 143)
Here are some of the suggestions (in short) that the authors make for keeping track of your valuables:
1. List them and put the list in a binder.
2. Photograph or videotape your valuables. Date the video.
3. Include the receipts.
4. Put any appraisals or authentication documents in your binder.
5. Store your valuables binder in a safe place.
This is a project that I'm going to have to come back to at a later date. This involves more work than one day. I've wanted to do something like this for a long time now. Once I wrap up homeschooling for this school year and have a short break, that will be the time I can tackle this project.
Day #23 - Give Vanishing Gifts - Today, tackle your wrapping paper, ribbons, gift bags, and gift tags/cards. Save a few of your favorite rolls of paper, some matching ribbon, and some gift enclosure cards. Give away your extraneous wrapping supplies (give a few rolls to the kids). If you cannot bear to give away beautiful wrapping paper, store the excess out of sight. Simplicity is about using up what you have --- and keeping things flowing through your life. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 147)
Over the past couple of years, I have slowly used up wrapping paper and ribbons; and I have very few bows left. For each birthday and holiday, I've been making re-usable gift bags from fabric. The first year when I make the bags, it's a bit labor-intensive. However, with each subsequent year of use, it's been a wonderful time saver.
Fabric bags I made for Sophia's birthday.
Her favorite colors are pink and purple.
I also have made hand-embroidered bags from wool felt and beads. These are a bit time-consuming to make, but they will last many years. If they take care of the bags, they will have them when they leave home and start their own families. Perhaps they can be passed onto their children.
Hand-embroidered and beaded bags I made
for Valentine's Day for the girls.
Day #24 - Create Hassle-Free Holidays - Make a list of the holidays you celebrate annually. Besides each entry, write down what each holiday means to you. For example, Thanksgiving may mean organizing a big potluck dinner for friends who don't have anyplace else to go.
Next, make another list of holidays with columns entitled "Joyful Activities" and "Stressful Activities." Fill in the blanks. For example, a joyful Christmas activity might be "Sending cards," whereas a stressful activity might be "Finding perfect gifts for household help." Once the list is made, vow to maximize joy and minimize stress. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 152)
Many of the joyful activities for the holidays centers around food and making food that ties in with the holidays.
Homemade candy hearts.
St. Lucia dinner. The girls and I made St. Lucia buns and Swedish meatballs.
The buns are ones that we have been making for many years now.
The Swedish meatball recipe was a new one we tried in 2010.
I also find joy in helping the girls with their costumes for Halloween. Often they want their hair done, so they have their hair up in curlers (the kind they have to wear overnight) or hot rollers; and get the final touch with the curling iron.
All dressed up in 2007 for Halloween.
Olivia was a fairy and Sophia was a princess.
I'm not one who enjoys huge crowds. However, the girls had an opportunity to ride horses on the Fourth of July in a small town parade. Since they were in the parade prep area, there were quieter places to sit which was nice. There weren't the crowds in that area...and the view was unobstructed.
Sophia riding in the 4th of July parade in 2010.
One of the ways we celebrate New Year's Day is by going to a Chinese restaurant. This tradition was started in the early 1990s in San Francisco where there seemed to be a huge number of Chinese restaurants. It is continued to this day, and enjoyed by us all.
The girls dressed up in their Chinese dresses in 2008. These were purchased in China (where they were adopted from) in 2001 and 2003. I brought back a variety of dresses in increasingly larger sizes so they could have special dresses to wear each year.
Sophia and Olivia with Casey before we headed out to a Chinese restaurant
for the annual New Year's Day dinner.
For me, things that are stressful center around large crowds and public chaos - big events, parades, and even children's services at the church where the girls sing. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I seem to prefer quiet, peaceful gatherings...or ones that I can go to early to avoid crowds.
At least I know what I find stressful and can try to avoid activities that I know will be too loud or where there are too many people crammed in too tight of an area.
Day #25 - Enjoy Your Photos and Mementos - Today, round up all of your photos and put them in one place. That's all you have to do. Make a commitment to buy some photo boxes in the near future. With these boxes, you will be able to sort your photos. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 156)
I have started to remove photographs from old photo albums (the kind that are pre-archival quality) and place the photographs in achival-quality boxes. I've been working on and off on this project for a couple of months now since I have quite a few albums to go through.
I use to operate a children's camp and found that I had taken a tremendous amount of photographs of the program. Some of the photographs were sent to funders, but I kept many of them and put them in albums. I kept some of the photos that had pictures of the girls, farm animals (sheep, chickens, horses), or were personally meaningful to me.
As I'm going through the photographs, I'm not keeping all of them. For some photos, I'm sending them to people (friends and family) who I think may enjoy them. For example, if their child participated in the camp program, they might enjoy seeing a photo of their child at camp when they were much younger.
Day #26 - Pare Down Your Garage - A garage is not a junk bin. It's an important base of operations, like your kitchen and home office. Today, sort your garage items into categories---tools, paint, gardening, recreational, barbecue, and so on. As you sort, ask yourself:
1. Do I use it---or think I should? If not, toss it.
2. When I want to do a project, is this item ready to use? Am I willing to keep it cleaned and repaired? If not, toss it.
3. Do I have enough space for this and is it well located? If not, toss it or move it.
After you have sorted and tossed, make a list of organizers that will streamline your garage. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 164)
I don't have a garage, so the closest thing that's like garage that's here is the hobby shed and barn.
Outside of the hobby shed.
Back in late-August and early-September 2010, I spent a lot of time cleaning out the shed and getting rid of a lot of items that were no longer good, usuable, or had been damaged by being in a non-temperature-controlled building.
As the dumpster was slowly filling, it was a very sick feeling to see not only items that were once good that were ruined because of inadequate storage space, but I thought about the money that was wasted that I would never get back. It was a financial loss...and not a positive impact on the environment by any stretch of the imagination.
When it gets warmer, I plan to re-visit organizing and further de-cluttering the hobby shed. It is more than a day's work; and more appropriate to do later in the spring or summer. At the same time, I will clean out the barn and shed again. After this round, things should be much better.
Day #27 - Make Landscaping Easier - A successful landscape is one that you thoroughly enjoy and is easy to maintain. Use plants that require little maintenance. Ask the nursery for three of the most successful plants in your region. Make these plants the mainstay of your garden. (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 169)
Peony.
I've been gradually adding more perennials and wildflowers over the years. Some have done well, while others haven't and were a waste of money.
Bleeding hearts.
The ones that seem to do the best here are hostas, ferns, siberian irises, lupines, peonies, hydrageneas, bleeding hearts, lilies, and some roses.
Lilies.
Day #28 - Get Physical - Make an appointment on your calendar to exercise three to four times a week for an hour, or daily for 30 minutes. This is a manageable amount of time for most people. With a simple routine, you won't have to think about when to exercise---it's prescheduled! (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 175)
Now that the weather is better, we can begin riding our bikes again which is fun. Olivia is still learning how to ride a bike, so I have a modified bike hooked up to mine until she can ride on her own and keep up with Sophia and me.
Olivia and me riding our bikes.
Sophia riding her bike.
I also typed a physical education chart in which each of us can mark off when we do some form of exercise for the day. It can be bike riding, working with the horses, taking the dogs for a walk, going on a nature walk, or playing in the backyard. The key for us is variety and fun more so than an extreme workout.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
52 Books in 52 Weeks ----- Week 16 ----- Mennonite in a Little Black Dress
For the 16th week of the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge, I'm going to read Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen. It was in the Publisher's Weekly Top 100 Books of 2009.
It seems like people who have read the book are split - either it's one that they enjoy and laugh as they read...while others can't even finish the book. So, I'm not sure what to expect.
According to some reviews on Amazon.com, the book is not about learning about Mennonite culture and beliefs, though there are mentions of what life is like in a Mennonite community.
The book is actually a personal memoir about how a series of unfortunate incidents brought the author back home. Rhoda Janzen addresses some rather sad and serious issues with style and humor that makes the book captivating and easy to read.
The author weaves childhood memories with anecdotes from the months spent visiting her parents (her father who is "the Mennonite equivalent of the Pope" and mother who is a pragmatic nurse and eternal optimist); her friends and family; and the Mennonite culture.
As the memoir progresses, the author shares her recovery (of roots and self) from her mentally ill husband and their failed marriage.
After I'm done reading the book, I'll come back and note whether I enjoyed reading it or not. It certainly is a departure from what I've been reading recently.
According to some reviews on Amazon.com, the book is not about learning about Mennonite culture and beliefs, though there are mentions of what life is like in a Mennonite community.
The book is actually a personal memoir about how a series of unfortunate incidents brought the author back home. Rhoda Janzen addresses some rather sad and serious issues with style and humor that makes the book captivating and easy to read.
The author weaves childhood memories with anecdotes from the months spent visiting her parents (her father who is "the Mennonite equivalent of the Pope" and mother who is a pragmatic nurse and eternal optimist); her friends and family; and the Mennonite culture.
As the memoir progresses, the author shares her recovery (of roots and self) from her mentally ill husband and their failed marriage.
After I'm done reading the book, I'll come back and note whether I enjoyed reading it or not. It certainly is a departure from what I've been reading recently.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
52 Weeks of Giving - Week 15 - Donation to Gillette's Children's Hospital
The girls surprised me this week and did something on their own while I was paying for some items at a local store. They went over to a rather tall container, opened their wallets, and made a donation to Gillette's Children's Hospital.
They could choose to put their coins in from a variety of different entry points. Each coin traveled on a different path through obstacles, turns, slides, and other features. The girls, needless to say, were entertained.
All the coins that are donated remain in Minnesota, and benefit Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare which provides specialized health care for people who have short-term or long-term disabilities that began during childhood. They help children, adults, and their families improve their health, achieve greater well-being, and enjoy life.
The hospital is located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has clinics in Duluth, Burnsville, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, and services for adult patients at our St.Paul - Phalen Clinic. Gillette is internationally renowned for a level of pediatric expertise that distinguishes them from many health care organizations.
They could choose to put their coins in from a variety of different entry points. Each coin traveled on a different path through obstacles, turns, slides, and other features. The girls, needless to say, were entertained.
All the coins that are donated remain in Minnesota, and benefit Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare which provides specialized health care for people who have short-term or long-term disabilities that began during childhood. They help children, adults, and their families improve their health, achieve greater well-being, and enjoy life.
The hospital is located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has clinics in Duluth, Burnsville, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, and services for adult patients at our St.Paul - Phalen Clinic. Gillette is internationally renowned for a level of pediatric expertise that distinguishes them from many health care organizations.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Project Simplify - Hot Spot #5 - Homeschool Curricula and Books
For Project Simplify's Hot Spot #5, participants could select a project or area in their home on which they wanted to focus their energy. For this final challenge, I wanted to go through 3 1/2 shelves on my office bookshelf as well as two shelves in my office closet that had books and curricula that I have used or anticipated using in the future.
I removed all the books and curricula from the wooden bookshelf and integrated them with the resources on the closet shelving. Now, the science shelf (for example) has books arranged alphabetically by topic (e.g., bats, birds, frogs, nature journaling).
It was a pleasant surprise to find curricula that I purchased in past years at homeschooling conferences that the girls weren't quite ready to use yet. This upcoming year, there are some excellent resources that I can use.
Conversely, I realized that even though I have the Five in a Row curriculum series, I am missing some of the children's books that are needed to do the series. I wrote a list of books I'll need to purchase, and now can look for them at the used book section of the homeschooling conference. I have not used the series, but it seems like an excellent fit with Olivia's learning style and interests.
Also, I am happy to have the KONOS trio of books together now so I can use them again during the upcoming year.
I have never taken as much time as I have this year to prepare for a homeschool conference. Knowing what resources I have on hand will greatly reduce the amount of money that I spend at this year's conference. My goal is to use what I have on hand for the majority of next year's school year; and only get the curricula needed for the level/grade that Sophia and Olivia are at with each subject.
Not only am I more organized and know what resources I have available, but I have three grocery bags of books and curricula that I can sell at an upcoming curriculum fair in May, one bag of garbage, and one bag of recycling that are now out of my office.
After I was done, there was an entire empty shelf on the bookshelf, so I transferred all my cookbooks from the kitchen into my office. In this way, I gained a shelf in the kitchen where I can transfer food from another cupboard (where the dishes are) to one that is only for food. Things are starting to come together better now which is so nice!
Before: Books and curricula for homeschooling
on my office bookshelf. They are not organized by subject
on these shelves which makes it challenging to find anything.
I began sorting through the books in my office closet because I had already done some grouping by subject before this school year began. The top shelf (at my eye level) is history (from ancient civilizations to modern times).
On the next shelf down, I began putting reading, writing, and poetry on the left side; and science and nature study on the right side.
The lowest level had physical education, social studies, geography (world and U.S.), character education, sign language, government, art, music, handwriting/penmanship, and math.
Three shelves in my office closet that I was
starting to remove items from and
then group according to subject.
I removed all the books and curricula from the wooden bookshelf and integrated them with the resources on the closet shelving. Now, the science shelf (for example) has books arranged alphabetically by topic (e.g., bats, birds, frogs, nature journaling).
It was a pleasant surprise to find curricula that I purchased in past years at homeschooling conferences that the girls weren't quite ready to use yet. This upcoming year, there are some excellent resources that I can use.
After: Cookbooks are now on the top two shelves
(depending on the book size). Also on the second shelf
are books with topics I need/want to reference during the upcoming year.
The third shelf is all related to reading, literature, poetry, and writing.
Also, I am happy to have the KONOS trio of books together now so I can use them again during the upcoming year.
After - Closet shelves. Top shelf: All history.
Middle Shelf: All science.
Third Shelf: Geography (world and U.S.), social studies,
character education, critical thinking, and math.
Bottom Shelf: A variety of other subjects
in addition to art and music.
Not only am I more organized and know what resources I have available, but I have three grocery bags of books and curricula that I can sell at an upcoming curriculum fair in May, one bag of garbage, and one bag of recycling that are now out of my office.
After I was done, there was an entire empty shelf on the bookshelf, so I transferred all my cookbooks from the kitchen into my office. In this way, I gained a shelf in the kitchen where I can transfer food from another cupboard (where the dishes are) to one that is only for food. Things are starting to come together better now which is so nice!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
52 Books in 52 Weeks ----- Week 15 ----- The Pearl
It's already Week 15 of the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge. I've been enjoying selecting a different book to read each week this year so far, and look forward to the remaining 37 books that I'll be reading for the rest of the year.
This week I chose The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I remember watching The Grapes of Wrath by Mr. Steinbeck when I was in high school literature class. Since that time, I had not read or watched any other of his work. He has a variety of fiction, non-fiction, plays, and a screenplay that he wrote during his career.
The Pearl is based on a Mexican folk tale, and explores the secrets of people's nature and the depths of evil. The book focuses on Kino, a pearl diver and occasional fisherman, his wife Juana, and their baby son, Coyotito. They are a very poor family (in the material sense) in that all they have is a grass shack home, some clay cooking utensils, and Kino's boat, a valuable item inherited from his father and grandfather.
The boat is the family's livelihood, and provides the means to put a meal on the table and a few pesos for store-bought goods by selling the small pearls Kino is able to find.
Despite the family's impoverished life, they are far from being unhappy or depressed. Rather, they have a great treasure: the love they have for one other and their satisfaction with life as they know it. They have very few dreams of more expensive or greater things.
One day, their routine and quiet life is turned upside down when Kino finds a Great Pearl. Suddenly Kino can dream of better things: a rifle for himself, school for his son so he will be able to read and tell what is in the books, and a real house. As the book said:
However, dreams can be deadly things. Dreams lead to desire, and desire to greed, and greed to violence. Starting as early as the third chapter, The Pearl reveals these negative elements.
In today's world, The Pearl might be called The Lottery. A lottery ticket, like the pearl in the novella, vaults a person from the troubles of day-to-day life, and is thought to leave her/him "set for life." Unfortunately, all too often, winning the lottery is a quick financial ride up and a crash back down.
When thrust upon a person, sudden wealth - whether it comes from a lottery ticket, an inheritance, or an investment - changes the person and everyone around them. All a person's reference points, friends, and all that their lives have not prepared them for, surround, threaten, and many times destroy them.
As Juana asked Kino in the book, "Who do you fear?"
Kino searched for a true answer, and at last he said, 'Everyone.' And he could feel a shell of hardness drawing over him."
Even though The Pearl was written in the mid-1940s, the moral is timely and meaningful. Some people will do what they can to take advantage of you, especially if you have something they want. This message is clearly shown in The Pearl, and is a theme worth reflecting upon.
More important, taking a look at what you have - even if the material things you have pale in comparison to what others have - and being content with the things that are truly important in life, is a valuable and timeless reminder.
The Pearl is based on a Mexican folk tale, and explores the secrets of people's nature and the depths of evil. The book focuses on Kino, a pearl diver and occasional fisherman, his wife Juana, and their baby son, Coyotito. They are a very poor family (in the material sense) in that all they have is a grass shack home, some clay cooking utensils, and Kino's boat, a valuable item inherited from his father and grandfather.
The boat is the family's livelihood, and provides the means to put a meal on the table and a few pesos for store-bought goods by selling the small pearls Kino is able to find.
Despite the family's impoverished life, they are far from being unhappy or depressed. Rather, they have a great treasure: the love they have for one other and their satisfaction with life as they know it. They have very few dreams of more expensive or greater things.
One day, their routine and quiet life is turned upside down when Kino finds a Great Pearl. Suddenly Kino can dream of better things: a rifle for himself, school for his son so he will be able to read and tell what is in the books, and a real house. As the book said:
"...Humans are never satisfied,
that you give them one thing and
they want something more."
(page 25)
However, dreams can be deadly things. Dreams lead to desire, and desire to greed, and greed to violence. Starting as early as the third chapter, The Pearl reveals these negative elements.
In today's world, The Pearl might be called The Lottery. A lottery ticket, like the pearl in the novella, vaults a person from the troubles of day-to-day life, and is thought to leave her/him "set for life." Unfortunately, all too often, winning the lottery is a quick financial ride up and a crash back down.
When thrust upon a person, sudden wealth - whether it comes from a lottery ticket, an inheritance, or an investment - changes the person and everyone around them. All a person's reference points, friends, and all that their lives have not prepared them for, surround, threaten, and many times destroy them.
As Juana asked Kino in the book, "Who do you fear?"
Kino searched for a true answer, and at last he said, 'Everyone.' And he could feel a shell of hardness drawing over him."
Even though The Pearl was written in the mid-1940s, the moral is timely and meaningful. Some people will do what they can to take advantage of you, especially if you have something they want. This message is clearly shown in The Pearl, and is a theme worth reflecting upon.
More important, taking a look at what you have - even if the material things you have pale in comparison to what others have - and being content with the things that are truly important in life, is a valuable and timeless reminder.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
52 Weeks of Giving - Week 14 - Help in a Variety of Ways
The girls continued with the 52 Weeks of Giving challenge by volunteering and doing a variety of different activities.
First, they brought the newspapers they cut for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. The WRC will use the newspapers that are cut to a specific size to line the cages for the orphaned and injured animals that they will start receiving in April.
Sophia and Olivia outside the Wildlife Resource Center with
two bags of cut newspapers.
The girls and one of the WRC staff inside the building.
The walls had interesting pictures of the WRC's work
with helping animals.
On Sunday, Olivia sang in the children's choir at church. Sophia was not feeling well (after being sick for many days), so she was unable to sing at the service.
Olivia in the front row singing (she's the one to the far right).
Another way the girls helped was at home when the new refrigerator was delivered. Since the items in the refrigerator could not be unloaded until the last minute, they helped unload all the food as well as clean off the sides and front of the refrigerator that had their artwork and magnets.
Refrigerator before the girls unloaded it.
It was nice to go through each of the items on the counter and only put the food back that we would eat and that was good for us. This effort was part of Project Simplify which was a five-week project that tackled some of the more challenging areas of one's home.
The new refrigerator in much better shape!
Friday, April 8, 2011
Project Simplify - Hot Spot #4 - Refrigerator
Hot Spot #4 for Project Simplify's five-week challenge was focused on the pantry and refrigerator. Since I did some major cleaning and organizing of the cupboards for the 30 Day Vegan workshop, I chose to focus on the refrigerator for this challenge.
This challenge came at a perfect time. I had some gift cards that I had been saving, and now could get a new appliance with them.
It was time to get rid of the 12-year old refrigerator that no longer had the bins for fruits and vegetables, the shelf propped up with a knife, and the shelves on the door held on with duct tape. Although it was still working, it was not an energy-efficient appliance.
The challenge with finding a new refrigerator is that I have 28" of space available. The door leading to the kitchen is only 29" wide and the space in the kitchen for the refrigerator is 28" wide. There are not many refrigerator/freezers out there that are so narrow. It is quite limiting. In fact, there was only one model that fit into the space.
The morning that the refrigerator/freezer was being delivered, I took one last look at the one I used for over 12 years:
I transferred all items from the freezer to the large freezer in the mudroom. All the magnets, artwork, and photographs came off the sides of the refrigerator. Some of the business magnets or ones that had seen better days immediately went into the trash.
When the delivery men arrived, I unloaded all the items from the refrigerator. They set up the refrigerator/freezer and took the old one away.
As I began putting items into the new refrigerator, I checked all expiration dates to make sure items were still okay to use. Anything that hadn't been used in awhile (on the door shelves), I threw away the contents and soaked the bottles to get the labels off. (I reuse the glass bottles to hold homemade dressings and food I buy in bulk at the co-op. I'm trying to get away from using plastic, but it's a slow process making that transition.)
I picked some items from the big freezer to put into the new freezer - like juices; butter (dairy free and regular); a variety of frozen vegetables; frozen fruit that the girls and I picked during the summer and froze; a couple packages of meat; and a few containers that have food that can be re-heated (e.g., stuffed peppers).
Here's what the refrigerator and freezer look like now:
It is so much easier to find things now, and only the items that I'm going to use are in the refrigerator and freezer. It's been a few days now since I did this, and it has been wonderful to have a fully-functional and working refrigerator/freezer.
When I'm making 21 meals a week (breakfast, lunch, and dinner since the girls are homeschooled and we eat all our meals at home...unless we are helping my parents and they want to take us out for lunch), having an appliance that works and is in good order is nice. It makes meal preparation so much more enjoyable! Truly, it is simple things like this that make me happy.
This challenge came at a perfect time. I had some gift cards that I had been saving, and now could get a new appliance with them.
It was time to get rid of the 12-year old refrigerator that no longer had the bins for fruits and vegetables, the shelf propped up with a knife, and the shelves on the door held on with duct tape. Although it was still working, it was not an energy-efficient appliance.
The challenge with finding a new refrigerator is that I have 28" of space available. The door leading to the kitchen is only 29" wide and the space in the kitchen for the refrigerator is 28" wide. There are not many refrigerator/freezers out there that are so narrow. It is quite limiting. In fact, there was only one model that fit into the space.
The morning that the refrigerator/freezer was being delivered, I took one last look at the one I used for over 12 years:
Very crowded and disorganized refrigerator.
Notice the missing bins, shelf being held up with a knife,
and the shelves being held with duct tape.
It's time for a new refrigerator!
The freezer with absolutely no
organizational system.
The freezer shelves in the
old refrigerator/freezer.
I transferred all items from the freezer to the large freezer in the mudroom. All the magnets, artwork, and photographs came off the sides of the refrigerator. Some of the business magnets or ones that had seen better days immediately went into the trash.
When the delivery men arrived, I unloaded all the items from the refrigerator. They set up the refrigerator/freezer and took the old one away.
As I began putting items into the new refrigerator, I checked all expiration dates to make sure items were still okay to use. Anything that hadn't been used in awhile (on the door shelves), I threw away the contents and soaked the bottles to get the labels off. (I reuse the glass bottles to hold homemade dressings and food I buy in bulk at the co-op. I'm trying to get away from using plastic, but it's a slow process making that transition.)
I picked some items from the big freezer to put into the new freezer - like juices; butter (dairy free and regular); a variety of frozen vegetables; frozen fruit that the girls and I picked during the summer and froze; a couple packages of meat; and a few containers that have food that can be re-heated (e.g., stuffed peppers).
Here's what the refrigerator and freezer look like now:
The new refrigerator/freezer with
only the items that I'm going to use.
It is so much easier to find things now, and only the items that I'm going to use are in the refrigerator and freezer. It's been a few days now since I did this, and it has been wonderful to have a fully-functional and working refrigerator/freezer.
When I'm making 21 meals a week (breakfast, lunch, and dinner since the girls are homeschooled and we eat all our meals at home...unless we are helping my parents and they want to take us out for lunch), having an appliance that works and is in good order is nice. It makes meal preparation so much more enjoyable! Truly, it is simple things like this that make me happy.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Preparedness Challenge - Weeks 3 and 4
With the tornado and thunderstorm season right around the corner, I wanted to be a bit more prepared this year. Homestead Revival is hosting a weekly Preparedness Challenge. During Week 3, I ordered some books from the library about planning ahead and self-sufficiency.
One of the books that I read and was very impressed with is called Just in Case - How to Be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens by Kathy Harrison. The book is packed with so many helpful tips and ideas for any individual or family to apply to their life/lives.
One of the first ideas she presents is to assess your home's safety. There are only a few questions, but they are ones that are so important to take the time to answer.
The other idea that I thought is a good one is creating a Preparedness Notebook. Below are the key points that the author makes in the book.
My goal is to get the Preparedness Notebook done this weekend; and determine if there are any improvements that need to be made to the home to make it safer.
To make your own card catalog cards, go HERE.
One of the books that I read and was very impressed with is called Just in Case - How to Be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens by Kathy Harrison. The book is packed with so many helpful tips and ideas for any individual or family to apply to their life/lives.
One of the first ideas she presents is to assess your home's safety. There are only a few questions, but they are ones that are so important to take the time to answer.
The other idea that I thought is a good one is creating a Preparedness Notebook. Below are the key points that the author makes in the book.
My goal is to get the Preparedness Notebook done this weekend; and determine if there are any improvements that need to be made to the home to make it safer.
To make your own card catalog cards, go HERE.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Project Simplify ---- Hot Spot #3 ----- Children's Toys
Project Simplify's Hot Spot #3 was focused on children's toys and clothes. Since I'm preparing for the homeschooling conference and trying to assess what the girls have and what would be nice to supplement in terms of educational games and puzzles, I focused on the cabinet in the family room.
What did it look like before? This:
I removed everything from the shelves and asked the girls if they played with or used the game or puzzle I was holding. This process resulted in a half-garbage bag filled with games and puzzles that are going to be donated to the local thrift shop.
For a few of the games that are "too young" for the girls, I kept them aside and put them in one of my office closets just in case younger visitors or relatives come over and they want to play a game with them. I tend to hold onto the Ravensburger games and puzzles since they meet or exceed all national and international safety testing standards. The games and puzzles are both educational and fun, and are made from high quality materials.
After the shelves were clear, I used Watkins Natural Lemon Furniture Polish with natural olive oil.
I put everything the girls played with back on the shelves, trying to place the puzzles and games that Olivia would use on the lower shelves as well as items that are used most often. Here's what the shelves look now:
The needle-felted letters are ones I made in 2008. They were ones the girls used when they were younger to put the letters of the alphabet in order. Now, they can use them to spell different words. Each letter is made from hand-dyed sheep wool. The base is a cream-color wool from sheep that I raised many years ago. The size of each letter is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" - a good size for small hands.
What did it look like before? This:
Disorganized, messy shelf with games, puzzles,
musical instruments, and play-doh.
I removed everything from the shelves and asked the girls if they played with or used the game or puzzle I was holding. This process resulted in a half-garbage bag filled with games and puzzles that are going to be donated to the local thrift shop.
For a few of the games that are "too young" for the girls, I kept them aside and put them in one of my office closets just in case younger visitors or relatives come over and they want to play a game with them. I tend to hold onto the Ravensburger games and puzzles since they meet or exceed all national and international safety testing standards. The games and puzzles are both educational and fun, and are made from high quality materials.
After the shelves were clear, I used Watkins Natural Lemon Furniture Polish with natural olive oil.
Board games, puzzles, and card games are on the lower shelves.
More games, musical instruments, active & "old-fashioned" games, and
needle-felted letters in a basket on the upper shelves.
The needle-felted letters are ones I made in 2008. They were ones the girls used when they were younger to put the letters of the alphabet in order. Now, they can use them to spell different words. Each letter is made from hand-dyed sheep wool. The base is a cream-color wool from sheep that I raised many years ago. The size of each letter is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" - a good size for small hands.
The needle-felted alphabet set I made.
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